International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

Göran Svensson

2002 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

doi: 10.1108/09600030210426511

The topic of this research focuses on companies’ perceived time and relationship dependencies in supply chains. The empirical findings are based upon a mail survey in the Swedish automotive industry. The principal contribution is a typology of vulnerability scenarios in supply chains based upon perceived time and relationship dependencies towards both suppliers and customers. A methodological contribution of this study is its simultaneous consideration of companies’ inbound and outbound supply chains.

Sameer Kumar; Charu Chandra

2002 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

doi: 10.1108/09600030210426520

This paper deals with developing new heuristic ordering rules for managing multi‐item, single vendor inventory systems with random demands. The inventory position for each item is continuously reviewed, and an order is placed when the projected stockout cost for all items exceeds a certain multiple of the average ordering cost. Rules are offered for determining which items to include in the order, and also for determining order‐up‐to level for each item. These rules involve two parameters, whose optimal values are estimated by simulation. Such systems are encountered in many real life situations, such as independent convenience stores, mom and pop grocery stores, ethnic grocery stores, neighborhood hardware stores, small independent retailers and family pharmacies. Many of these systems are grossly mismanaged from an inventory point of view. Ordering rules developed in this paper are the back‐bone of a proposed inventory and order management software required to support such small business operations.

Werner Delfmann; Sascha Albers; Martin Gehring

2002 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

doi: 10.1108/09600030210426539

The impact of e‐commerce on the business environment is often praised but seldom analyzed with scrutiny. In this paper we try to depict the underlying logistically relevant aspects of e‐commerce and their impacts on logistics service providers. This seems to be of considerable importance, as logistics is seen as the back‐bone of e‐commerce operations. However, the firms specializing in this field are commonly neglected. We argue that the logistical implications of e‐commerce can be differentiated into two main categories: the rise of e‐marketplaces; and the elimination of supply chain elements (disintermediation). By analyzing these two categories and their major logistical implications in detail we deduct strategic consequences for logistics service providers.

Ronald S. Tibben‐Lembke

2002 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

doi: 10.1108/09600030210426548

Managing the reverse flow of product is an important ability for any company, as the recent experiences of many online retailers illustrate. Reverse logistics is a growing and important area of strategic advantage for many companies. For a long time, the product life cycle has been a valuable source of insight about the changing needs of marketing and logistics over the life of a product. In this paper, we study the way that reverse logistics is impacted by changes in sales over the product’s life cycle.